Detachable tire tread



May 2, 1v939- G. R. NELSON, sR 2,157,004

DETACHABLE TIRE TREAD Filed Jan. 21, 1938 f77/awww Aiarneys Patented May 2, 1939 PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE TIRE TREAD George R. Nelson,

Sr., Almelund, Minn.

Application January 21, 1938, Serial No. 186,120

6 Claims.

This invention relates to detachable tire treads for use on vehicle tires.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a novel and improved detachable tire tread which can be easily applied to and detached from vehicle tire casings for furnishing a new tread surface for worn tires or for furnishing traction means for any type of tires, in place of chains or -the like.

The .objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and in which- Fig. 'l is a view in side elevation of a tire equipped automobile wheel to which the detachable tire tread of the present invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, a`s indicated bythe arrows;

Fig. 3 is a plan view looking down on portions of two of the tread sections, certain parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, as indicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a wrench that may be employed for operating the turnbuckles.

Referring to the drawing an automobile wheel 6 is illustrated to which a drop center rim I is applied. Mounted on the rim 'l is an automobile tire including a tire casing 8 and an inner tube 9 of standard construction. The tire casing 8 is shown as having a tread portion I0 which forms shoulders II with the sides of the casing. 'I'he tread portion I0 may be considered either worn or not worn.

In accordance with the present invention. I provide a plurality of tread sections, each of which is designated as an entirety by the letter A. These tread sections are composed for the most part of rubber having cords I2 embedded therein as is usual in automotive tire construction and this corded rubber forms the body I3 of each tread section. Each tread section, as viewed in plan, is of substantially parallelogramshape, the two ends of the section being set diagonally relative to the side edges'of the section. As viewed in cross section, each tread section is roughly of C-shape to properly fit over a portion of the tire casing l in connection with which the sections are to be used. Preferably the inner surface of each section will be shaped to properly take the shoulders II of the casing 8.

The edges of each section are preferably beaded and they carry embedded therein longitudinal metallic reinforcing elements I4. These metallic reinforcing elements I4 in the' form shown are resilient solid rods but, if desired, they may be steel cables. Notches I5 are cut at the corners of the tread sections A and the opposite ends of each longitudinal reinforcing element I4 are screw threaded to form studs I6 and I7 respectively projecting across the notches I 5. The studs I6 and Il are similar except for the fact that the two studs are oppositely threaded, for example, the studs I6 have right handed screw threads formed thereon and the studs I'l have left handed screw threads formed thereon. At the points where studs I6 and I'I terminate, disk-like flanges I are formed on the reinforcing elements id, these flanges tting within the notches l5 and bearing against the body i3.

To connect adjacent tread sections A together and to draw up the tread sections tightly on a tire casing 8, turnbuckles I9 are employed. Eachr turnbuckle i@ takes a stud i5 of one section A and a stud il of the next adjacent section. The turnbuckles have cross openings I9a therein to take a wrench 20 which can be employed for tightening the turnbuckles. To keep the turnbuckles i@ from loosening, after the detachable tire tread has been applied to a tire casing 8, cotter keys 3l may be employed, these cotter keys passing through certain of the holes I9a so that portions of the keys will bear against the sides of the tire casing 8.

I'he ends of each tread section A are beaded and embedded in each beaded end are metallic cross reinforcement elements 22, these cross reinforcing elements being chains in the illustrated embodiment. 'I'he outermost links 22a of these chains 22 have rather wide sleeves through which the respective studs I6 and I'I extend and which receive end portions of the turnbuckles I9. To prevent shifting of the links 22a relative to the studs I6 and I'l, the inner ends of the links 22a are provided with shoulders 22h and nuts 23 threaded on the studs I6 and I'I and received within the links 22a are drawn up tightly against shoulders 22h. Preferably the cords I2 of each tread section A are looped around both the longitudinal reinforcing elements I4 and the cross reinforcing elements 22 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4.

'I'he exterior surface of each tread section I 3 may be nished in any suitable tread design to secure proper traction. In the particular embodiment yshown traction studs 24 are formed on the exterior surface of each tread section and 5 these studs are arranged in rows extending diagonally across each tread section. By making the tread sections in rights and lefts, and employing the diagonal rows of studs 24, when the proper tread sections are assembled on opposite wheels of an automobile and power ls applied to the wheels side slippage oi the wheels in a directionv away from the automobile can be minimizedl In Fig. l of the drawing, to save needless dupllcation the studs 24 are shown on but certain portions of two sections A. It will be understood, however, that these studs will be found on all portions of the exterior surfaces of all sections A.

When the proper number of tread sections A are assembled together on a tire casing 8, they form an annular cover for the tire casing which when the turnbuckles I9 have been properly drawn up, tightly clinch onto the casing so that relative movement between the tread sections and the casing can not take place. 'I'he ends of the tread sections are purposely diagonally cut so that during rotation of the wheel, at least portions of one or more tread sections are always in contact with the road surface. 'I'his prevents a jar or bump in advancing from one tread section to another, as the Wheel turns. In other words, a transverse line taken through the entire tire tread device at any point will cut at least one of the tread sections A.

'I'he longitudinal reinforcement members I4 of the various tread sections interconnected by the studs I5 and I'l and the turnbuckles I9 form in reality metallic hoops which strengthen the entire device and hold the same properly on the tire casing 8. These hoops are, in turn, cross braced at intervals by means of the cross reinforcement elements or chains 22. A metal skeleton is thus provided towhich the corded rubber bodies I3 are securely fastened.

It will be seen that a simple and efilcient tire tread device has been provided which can be quickly and easily applied to and detached from a tire casing. The turnbuckles I9 provide for eiective adjustment of the size of the device to compensate for Wear of the tire casing and for small differences in size between diiferent casings.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts Without departure from the scope of the present invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable tire tread, comprising a plurality of sections composed chiefly of rubber and adapted to overlie the tread surface of a tire casing, means interconnecting the ends of said sections, the ends of said sections being beaded, cross chains embedded in said beaded ends and means for anchoring the ends of said cross chains at the edges of said sections.

2. A detachable tire tread, comprising a plurality of tread sections composed chiefly of rubber and overlying the tread of a tire casing; metallic members embedded in the edges of said sections and extending throughout the length thereof, means interconnecting the adjacent metallic members of adjacent sections and cross 5 metallic members embedded in the ends of said sections and having connection with said first mentioned metallic members of the respective sections.

3. A detachable tire tread comprising a plu- 10 rality of tread sections composed principally of rubber and adapted to overlie a tire casing in adjacent circumferentially spaced relation, said sections being of substantially parallelogramshape in plan view, longitudinal reinforcement 15 elements of metal embedded in the edges of said sections,v said longitudinal elements having attachment portions projecting from the ends of said sections and cross chains embedded in the ends of said sections and having connections at 20 their ends with said longitudinal elements.

4. A detachable tire tread comprising a plurality of tread sections composed principally of rubber and adapted to overlie a tire casing in adjacent circumferentially spaced relation, said 25 sections being of substantially parallelogramshape in plan view, longitudinal reinforcement elements of metal embedded in the edges of said sections, said elements having screw threaded portions at their ends, transverse reinforcement 30 elements of Ametal embedded in the end portions of said sections and having sleeves at their ends through which the screw threaded portions of said longitudinal reinforcement elements extend and turnbuckles connecting the screw threaded 35 portions of adjacent elements and partially receivedwithin said sleeves.

5. A detachable tire tread comprising a plurality of tread sections composed principally of rubber and adapted to overlie a tire casing in adjacentI circumferentially spaced relation, said sections being of substantially parallelogramshaped in plan view, longitudinal reinforcement elements of metal embedded in the edges of said sections, said sections having notches at their corners and said longitudinal reinforcement elements having stud portions projecting in said notches and turnbuckles partially received within said notches and having connection with said stud portions, said stud portions havin shoul- 50 ders bearing against the ends of said t ead sections.

6. A detachable tire tread comprising a plurality of tread sections composed principally of rubber and adapted to overlie a tire casing in 55 adjacent circumferentially spacedrelation, said sections being of substantially parallelogram shaped in plan view, longitudinal reinforcement elements of metal embedded in the edges of said sections, said sections having notches at their, 00 corners and said longitudinal reinforcement elements having stud portions projecting into said notches, turnbuckles partially received within said notches and having connection with said G, stud portions and metal cross reinforcement elea ments embedded in the end portions of said tread sections and having eyes through which said stud portions project.'

GEORGE R. NELSON, SR. 70 

